Water gardens require maintenance
throughout the year.
Preparation for the winter months
is especially important for the
survival of both the aquatic plants
and the wildlife in and around
the pond. Some plants will not
tolerate winter weather and must
be removed from the pond while
cold-hardy plants need only to
be completely immersed in the
pond.

Gardening with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can be very difficult, especially when a long day of shoveling, raking, or weed pulling leaves you with a painful or “tingling” hand or wrist. These aches and pains are often caused in part by improper techniques or tools used in gardening.

The skin on hands and feet is like most ornamental plants. Neither likes
the extremes of being dried out or kept too wet. Treat skin as tenderly
as the most sensitive plants and safeguard your horticultural health.

Most people have suffered from at least one bad sunburn. The beginning of a sunburn is shown by hot, pink skin. Later comes swelling, burning pain, and possibly blistering. As the burn leaves, peeling inevitably appears. Peeling means that the skin is thickening up to protect itself from further sun damage. If burned skin continues to get exposed to sun, damage can’t be repaired. Even if damage is not visible, skin cells mutate with each sun exposure. Over a lifetime these mutations may add up to cancer, a problem seen on gardeners who work unprotected in the sun. A severe sunburn is one of the biggest risk factors in getting a melanoma skin cancer.

Many gardening tasks require knee strength and stability, whether kneeling, sitting,
standing, or walking. The best way to protect knees from the stress and strain is to
condition them with strengthening exercises and stretching.

Allergic reactions are caused by an overactive immune system response to a foreign substance such as pollen, dust, or molds. When this reaction affects the eyes or nose, it results in allergic rhinitis. Typical symptoms include sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy watery eyes. When an inflammation affects the bronchial tubes, it results in asthma. Typical symptoms include wheezing and shortness of breath.

Adequate soil moisture is essential for good crop
growth. A healthy plant is 75 percent to 90 percent
water. The plant needs that much water to carry out
vital functions, including photosynthesis, support
(rigidity), transpiration, and transportation of nutrients
and sugars to various parts of the plant. During
the first two weeks of growth, plants are becoming
established and must have the proper amount of
water to build their root systems. Too little water can
stunt or even kill tender seedlings, while excessive
moisture can prevent roots from moving out into
the soil searching for water and nutrients. Without a
sufficient root system, hot, dry weather can adversely
affect vegetable plants as they mature. In areas prone
to repeated drought, select drought-resistant varieties
when buying seed or plants.

The amount of fertilizer to apply to a garden depends
on the natural fertility of the soil, the amount of
organic matter present, the type of fertilizer used, and
the crop being grown. The best way to determine
fertilizer needs is to have the soil tested. Soil testing is
available through your local Extension agent, through
private labs, and with soil test kits which can be
purchased from garden shops and catalogs.